Spring actuated wallet structure



Nov. 2, 1954 MARCUS SPRING ACTUATED WALLET STRUCTURE Filed April 21, 1951 NV ENTOR MAU/P/(E M/lm/s.

2,693,213 SPRING ACTUATED WALLET STRUCTURE Maurice Marcus, New York, N. Y.'- Application April 21, 1951, Serial No. 222,196" T .f 2 Claims. Cl. 150-38 This invention relates to improvements in or relating to wallet structures and more particularly to closure means therefor.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide means permitting controlled opening and closing of wallets so that the wallet may be held in extreme positions, open or closed, and in intermediate positions, half-open or half-closed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means facilitating the insertion of spring means in the rear wall or lining of the wallet and the attachment thereto as a separate unit so that the wallet can be either used in conventional manner or with the aforesaid separate unit to bring about increase of saleabilityand other commercial possibilities.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means simple in construction and operation, inexpensive to manufacture, and very efiicient to manipulate.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means rendering possible a very attractive and compact wallet of the aforesaid type whose outer appearance does not show any changes but whose usefulness is greatly enhanced and whose structure is reinforced.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more fully described and the combination and arrangements of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims which form part of the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a wallet embodying the invention and shown in closed position;

Fig. 2 shows the wallet of Fig. l in open position and exposing to view the interior of said wallet;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the rear wall of the wallet of Fig. 2 with built-in spring mechanism according to the invention anddrawn to an enlarged scale;

4 is a sectional view taken along line 4- -4 of 1g. 1

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary and sectional view of the spring mechanism with parts of the wallet illustrated in closed position thereof;

Fig. 6 shows an exploded view of the median or hinge parts of the spring mechanism employed in theinvention;

Fig. 7 shows the wallet of Fig. 1 in perspective and on an enlarged scale in closed position, the approximate location of the spring mechanism being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view partly in section showing the hinge parts of the spring mechanism of Fig. 6 assembled and in open and closed positions, respectively.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, there is shown a wallet made of leather, plastic or any other suitable foldable material in closed positionand in open position, respectively. The wallet hasthe change purse 16 and the bill compartment 17 as it is conventional in such wallet structures. A seam 18 defines the bill compartment 17.

' According to the invention, a spring mechanism 19 is placed within the bill compartment 17 andgsecured therein either by stitching, cementing or other means (not shown). The individual spring members-"of the spring mechanism later described are retained within the confines determined by stitches 20 passing through the lining of .the compartment 17. Thespring members. comprise two leg members 21 and 22 of thin, flat spring steel. or thelikeand the back plate or base member 23 secured to the. back spring member 24 by means. of rivets 25pas'singthrough .holes 26 of the base plate 23 and of spring member 24.

The base ,member 23 is further provided with two lateral slots 27, 28 having the'central throats or openings 29 and 30. Theleg members 21 and 22 are provided with notches 31 and 32, respectively, forming T- shaped ends 33 and 34. As clearly shown in Fig. 9, these T- haped ends 33 and 34 are somewhat ofliset at 35 and 36, thus forming an angle to the remainder or main portion of the leg members 21 and 22.

Since the T-shaped ends 33 and 34 are movably secured within the slots 27, 28 and since the edges of the T-shaped ends 33 and 34 are in engagement with the spring member 24, it will be seen that swinging leg members 21 and 22 from the full line position of Fig. 9 to the dot and dash line position will cause the outer most edges of the T-shaped ends 33 and 34 to press against the spring member 24.

The action of the spring member 24 will hold the legs 21 and 22 thus in either of the two extreme positions or at right angles to each other. The spring member 24 has its outer edges rounded as at 38, while the center portion is provided with an offset 37. The hinged spring mechanism 21-22--23-24 is encased as previously mentioned in a sheath consisting of the two walls 39 and 40.

As is obvious when the wallet is either open or closed (beyond the maximum tension point of the spring member 24), the spring pressure against the edges of the T- shaped ends 33 and 34 will cause the spring legs to either snap into the open or into the closed position, as clearly demonstrated in Fig. 9.

It will be well understood that the hinged parts 21-24 of the spring mechanism will not or will only slightly exceed in width that of the fold or back of the wallet or similar foldable article in which the spring mechanism may be incorporated (Fig. 5). It is further to be noted that an increased safety and guard against loss of any contents of the wallet is achieved according to the structure forming the basis of the invention and that opening and closing of the wallet may be caused substantially semi-automatically.

It is evident that the spring mechanism herein disclosed can be either attached to the lining or to one of the walls of the wallet, always keeping in mind that said mechanism serves the purpose of springedly maintaining saidl wallet in open position or in closed position, selective y.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided according to the invention a wallet or like article which is foldable and closeable and has a wall, a spring mechanism attached to said wall, said spring mechanism including a center plate arranged for position in the fold of said wallet, a leaf spring affixed to said plate and terminating in spaced offset ends, and two legs extending, respectively, in opposite directions from and linked to said center plate, said ends of said leaf spring abutting against said legs and urging the same in aligned position when said wallet is moved about its folds into open condition and in parallel relation to each other when said wallet is swung to closed position.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and herein described, it will be understood that the same is capable of modifications without departure from the general scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a wallet structure having a wall with a fold; a spring mechanism attached to said wall, said spring mechanism including a spring element terminating in two opposite curved ends and substantially positioned to extend within the fold of said wallet and in crosswise direction thereto, and two levers arranged to extend adjacent said curved ends of said spring element, respectively, each of said levers being provided with an end for engaging a respective curved end of said spring element,

, P atented Nov. 2,1954

wlier eby said levers may be swunggelative to. said eleopeningsof said base member formingnotchesfol-receiving said T-shaped ends so as to hingedly connect the latter to said base member.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number I UNITED STATESIPATENTS Name Date:

Petri Nov. 23', 1909 Babst' Jan. 2, 1912 Schaefer June 24, 1930 Kacob'sen Oct; 31, 1933 Krause Aug. 30, 1949 

